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| | Harry Potter News Fresh off the press! Stay informed on the latest Harry Potter news, updates, and whispers here. All News Rules and FAQs apply. | 
04-17-2008, 04:49 PM
| | |  Lexicon trial ends; both sides await verdict
J.K. Rowling took the stand one final time yesterday in the copyright infringement case against Steve Vander Ark and his publisher RDR Books over the publication of Vander Ark's Harry Potter Lexicon. Quote:
On the stand Wednesday, Rowling said she was "vehemently anti-censorship," and generally supportive of the right of other authors to write books about her novels. But she said Vander Ark had "plundered" her prose and merely reprinted it in an A-to-Z format.
"I never ever once wanted to stop Mr. Vander Ark from doing his own guide — never ever," she said as she took the stand for the second time in the three-day trial, as the last rebuttal witness. "Do your book, but please, change it so it does not take as much of my work."
The judge asked Rowling if she thought people would read the Lexicon rather than her books. Quote:
"Can you imagine anyone reading this Lexicon for entertainment value?” the judge asked.
"Honestly, your Honor, no," Ms. Rowling replied. "But if I may say it without being arrogant or vain, I think there are funny things in there — and I wrote them."
If she loses the case, Ms. Rowling said on Wednesday, "the floodgates will open," and writers everywhere will lose control of their material. "Are we the owners of our own work?"
After more testimony by copyright experts for both sides, the trial ended with closing arguments on Wednesday, and the judge, who is hearing the case without a jury, gave the lawyers three weeks to file more papers before he makes a decision.
Sources: NY Times, USA Today
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You can read more on the history of the case at the links below. J.K. Rowling files lawsuit J.K. Rowling’s statement RDR Publisher’s statement The Lexicon’s statement Judge issues restraining order Stanford Law School defends RDR Books Jo & WB file full injunction request – part I Jo & WB file full injunction request – part II RDR Books denied JKR's personal notes RDR Books file response to J.K.R/W.B. Lexicon lawsuit J.K.Rowling/Warner Bros. file latest response in Lexicon suit Lexicon preliminary injunction hearing rescheduled Lexicon lawsuit trial further delayed J.K. Rowling to appear in New York court for trial against Lexicon J.K.Rowling arrives at New York court, testifies against Lexicon Lexicon owner testifies in court; breaks down on stand Two settlements met in Lexicon lawsuit  | |
04-17-2008, 04:51 PM
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#2 (permalink)
| | Selkie
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 36,512
Hogwarts RPG Name:
Eliza Bellerose
Slytherin Second Year
  x1
| Hiss!Roar!Growl!Caw! | Hermione's Double | The Little Three | Alecate
Best wishes, JK! Here's hoping you WON!!!!
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04-17-2008, 05:27 PM
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#3 (permalink)
| | Vampire
Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: In AZX's mind.
Posts: 53,205
| The one and only MadHatteress
Best wishes Rowling  | |
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04-17-2008, 05:34 PM
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#4 (permalink)
| | Lobalug
Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 178
Hogwarts RPG Name:
Lily Silvanus
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I hope the judge's verdict is in favor of Rowling. She is very right. It is her work and no one has the right to copy it without consent.
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04-17-2008, 05:36 PM
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#5 (permalink)
| | Re'em
Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Cloud 9,000
Posts: 19,633
Hogwarts RPG Name:
Phineas Fischer
Fourth Year | *snortles* MAMA!Shroom
*sees end on the horizon* Land ho!!
Did you guys know that you can't copy and paste text from the Lex? If you try, you get a pop-up that says "Copyright 2001-2005 Harry Potter Lexicon". And that's got to be recent, I can't remember that happening before. Prats *shakes head*
__________________ UNDER CONSTRUCTION YO. | |
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04-17-2008, 06:05 PM
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#6 (permalink)
| | Moke
Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 8,662
Hogwarts RPG Name:
Oliver Dominic Evans
Fifth Year | I'm.defying.gravity | true north strong and free | thumpity-thump-thump
Hopefully Rowling wins this one. Like she said, it would mean really bad news for other authors, not only her. It would change the way people look at copyright laws. We were actually talking about this in Writers Craft yesterday, and it was pretty funny, there only about 12 of us in the class, but it was 11 of us against one of the students. He thought that since JKR gave a award to Lexicon that she shouldnt be trying to stop putting out the book, or not taking her work anyways. But I have to agree with JKR, it would change the way everyone looks at copyright laws, and that shouldn't happen, the contents of the books should belong to the authors. The only reason why I think FanSites like SS should be allowed is because it is for fans  and we're not paying for it, it's merely somewhere we can go to talk about the world that JKR created but we shouldn't have to pay for it. Not saying that I wouldnt pay for something JKR wrote, because I would, if it was more then was expected 
__________________ I CAN NEVER STAY AWAY FROM THIS SITE COMPLETELY
IT JUST KEEPS DRAGGING ME BACK IN | |
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04-17-2008, 06:43 PM
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#7 (permalink)
| | Kappa
Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Never Neverland
Posts: 13,423
Hogwarts RPG Name:
Felix Greenwood
First Year x1
| DivaDivaDiva ||Candy Cane Mama||
well i am glad its over and almost done with
i hope justice will be done
__________________ ♣♣To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower♣♣
♣♣Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour♣♣ | |
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04-17-2008, 06:46 PM
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#8 (permalink)
| | Doxy
Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Florida
Posts: 6,438
| My Cherie Amour
Sneaky copyright infringing thief!! Go JK!
__________________ Cherie  | |
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04-17-2008, 06:46 PM
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#9 (permalink)
| | Puffskein
Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Denmark.
Posts: 1,630
Hogwarts RPG Name:
Ashley Noir
Fifth Year |
She have to win. And I am sure she will! As Hermione says "It's completely unfair!".
It is unfair if she dosen't win! | |
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04-17-2008, 06:46 PM
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#10 (permalink)
| | Pygmy Puff
Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: In a pineapple. <3
Posts: 18,309
Hogwarts RPG Name:
Emerson Gray.
Fourth Year | G1GGL3R! *giggles* My GarBear
Hmm hope Jo wins the case.
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04-17-2008, 06:53 PM
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#11 (permalink)
| | Dugbog
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 104
Hogwarts RPG Name:
Lily-Evans
First Year |
Best wishes!!! | |
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04-17-2008, 06:56 PM
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#12 (permalink)
| | Jarvey
Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Forks, With Edward.
Posts: 695
Hogwarts RPG Name:
Adalia Longbottom.
Third |
I am so glad this is finally over.
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04-17-2008, 07:30 PM
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#13 (permalink)
| Formerly: Nibs   Mackled Malaclaw
Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Wonderland ☆
Posts: 11,404
Hogwarts RPG Name:
Dominique De Aura ♥
Sixth Year | ☆ Princess of RP ☆|| Lioness || XOXO | Laugh || Love || Live ☆
Good Luck JK
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04-17-2008, 07:31 PM
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#14 (permalink)
| | Graphorn
Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Fangtasia.
Posts: 17,750
Hogwarts RPG Name:
Teagan Skye Corliss
Fifth Year | Chris Cookie Siriusly In Love
Quote:
"Honestly, your Honor, no," Ms. Rowling replied. "But if I may say it without being arrogant or vain, I think there are funny things in there — and I wrote them."
Good sense of humour. And I, too, am happy that this is over, hopefully with a good outcome.
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04-17-2008, 07:32 PM
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#15 (permalink)
| | Chizpurfle
Join Date: May 2006 Location: In a world with Dan
Posts: 10,764
Hogwarts RPG Name:
Lilly Young
Second Year | Keeper of Harry's Smile Guard of Dan’s Curiosity
HOpe she wins the case. Cause if not its just not right.
__________________ *Keeper of Ginny's Heart for Harry**Keeper of Emma's Sisterly Love For Dan**Dreams Can Come True*
*Siggy By Nat**Avvy By Jen*Dan is my Mr. Darcy* | |
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04-17-2008, 08:32 PM
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#16 (permalink)
| | Fire Slug
Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: in the deep blue sea
Posts: 150
Fourth |
Hope you win JK!!
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04-17-2008, 08:34 PM
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#17 (permalink)
| | Bugbear
Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: In Haven
Posts: 32,320
| The REAL Sorting Hat: "Ravenclaw!" This monkey is bananas.
Good luck Jo, we're all rooting for you!
I'm just glad it didn't last forever, it seemed quick to me.
__________________ Forget the future signature;
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MAH ARI!!!
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04-17-2008, 08:58 PM
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#18 (permalink)
| | Gnome
Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: herding black cats
Posts: 335
| MeeeeYOWZUH!
It could be some time but finally an end is in sight!
An extraordinary (and perhaps ill advised) aspect of the case has been the emotional outbursts by both JKR & SVA (even in prepared statements) which may have been heartfelt but had no bearing on proceedings. At the heart of the matter is the "fair use" aspect of copyright law. the judge encouraged an agreed settlement because this is a law with few precedents which left even the "experts" being unable to predict an outcome. All the same the verdict will set a legal precedent which may effect all authors and "fandoms".
The quality of the media coverage in the months prior to the trial including the last week can only be described as disappointing. Most web based news coverage have taken the side of whatever party issuing the statement through inflammatory or attention seeking headlines. JKR has been referred to as either a "suicidal single mother made good" or "Billionaire author suing small publisher" and SVA has been described as either a "HP Fan with good intentions" or "Traitor to the cause" depending on whether WB or RDR were making the statement.
On the other hand the effort put in to impartially summarise and report the issue (almost without exception with links to original sources) by most fan sites (SS, Mugglenet & TLC particularly) has been outstanding. Curiously and unjustly there have been some anonymous claims of bias posted as comments on some sites although any objective review would not support this claim (understandably most fan comments support JKR).
 Hopefully everyone can take a deep breath, calm down (regardless of which side they're on) while we all wait patiently for the verdict.
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04-17-2008, 09:02 PM
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#19 (permalink)
| | Chizpurfle
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 10,113
Hogwarts RPG Name:
Sinead Murphy
First Year  x1
| Feathery Thingywhatsit | BookSnake
If she doesn't win, there is something wrong with the world. | |
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04-17-2008, 09:05 PM
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#20 (permalink)
| | Imp
Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Canada
Posts: 417
Hogwarts RPG Name:
Gwenavere
First Year |
It's all completely rubbish is you ask me, I guess it all depends on how the judge views the laws...there shouldn't even be a case, I have complete faith that Jo will win this, no doubts what-so-ever!! You're an amazing person/author Jo, I can't say for sure exactly, but from what I have been reading, to all of us fans, you have already won this case!!!!!
Last edited by aliciahutchinson; 04-17-2008 at 09:06 PM.
Reason: revised
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04-17-2008, 09:31 PM
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#21 (permalink)
| | Banshee
Join Date: May 2007 Location: Gotham
Posts: 51,213
Hogwarts RPG Name:
TBD
Gryffindor
Hogwarts RPG Name:
Zara H. Bunbury-Foster
Slytherin Fifth Year | Professor Pink | Mrs. Bruce Wayne | I'm on a Goat | Glitterpuff | Dumbledore's Defense Squad | BHB
It's not an issue of "who is the better person" and "may the best one win"; the issue is if the Lexicon infringes upon JKR's copyright laws.
And I think it does.
So, to set a precedent for other authors, this could be considered a landmark case. Especially if you notice this: Quote:
If she loses the case, Ms. Rowling said on Wednesday, "the floodgates will open," and writers everywhere will lose control of their material. "Are we the owners of our own work?"
Very good point. Kinda makes me nervous, as a fan-fic writer too. 
__________________
yeah, there's one thing about me that you should know________________________________
__________________________________________that I can't help from speaking my mind | |
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04-17-2008, 09:49 PM
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#22 (permalink)
| SS Featured Author Snidget
Join Date: May 2004 Location: The Burrow
Posts: 2,923
| Fan Fic Queen
Glad that an end's in sight.
Shannon 
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04-17-2008, 10:48 PM
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#23 (permalink)
| | Puffskein
Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: In London with Matt
Posts: 1,130
Hogwarts RPG Name:
Heidi Sparks
Second Year | Lion Pride
Here's hoping this will all end well and we can put this all to rest.
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04-18-2008, 02:01 AM
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#24 (permalink)
| | Puffskein
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,041
| Chaos Creator Twins' Conscience
Go JK! I hope she wins.
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04-18-2008, 02:04 AM
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#25 (permalink)
| | Giant
Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Ferrix: GMT-6
Posts: 56,908
Hogwarts RPG Name:
Moritz Schultz (#0f667e)
Ravenclaw Seventh Year
Hogwarts RPG Name:
Nancy Schultz (#ac6f77)
Hufflepuff Fourth Year x11 x1
| curly haired prefect - "sometimes I get angry!" - 30/90 - *chicken emoji* - probably @ Disney - I speak dog
JK is so gonna win...Lexicon has really NO argument against her 
__________________ I'm still standin'________________________________________ better than I ever did
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